RECORD REVIEW: Gideon’s ‘Cold’ is bold and emotional

Gideon have made themselves a staple in the hardcore scene during the last several years, and it’s no wonder why. With commanding vocals, charging breakdowns and emotional lyrics, this Alabama-born band have everything fans could want, which they showcase brilliantly on their new record, Cold.

The brutal sounds of hardcore work their magic the best when coupled with personal, moving lyrics. While Gideon go full force with this record, there is a vulnerability about it that makes it more special than the average hardcore album. Not only do they do well on their own, but the decision to pull in vocalists from other big name bands – Bryan Garris of Knocked Loose and Jamey Jasta of Hatebreed – takes Cold to another level. In fact, arguably the most compelling track on the record is “Cursed,” which sees a guest spot from Garris. Hearing the words “Blame it on the bad luck, baby” get screamed out by both Knocked Loose’s vocalist and Daniel McWhorter each chorus elicits an absolutely electric feeling. Other songs on the record like “Champions” and “Walk Alone” hit just has hard.

On the other hand, we can’t forget that what makes this album so intriguing is the way the band blend melodic (but still heavy) choruses and even soft, subduing instrumentals like on title track “Cold.” It makes the record more complex than just breakdown after breakdown, which is refreshing and makes for a well-rounded record. The bottom line is, if you call yourself a hardcore fan, you need to grab yourself a copy of Cold.